FILE — Lindsay Waldman, left, a registered nurse at National Jewish Health, administers a COVID-19 vaccination to 10-year-old David Battistelli, center, as he holds the hand of his mother, Paula, for support during the pediatric vaccine rollout Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in east Denver. Children as young as six months can now be vaccinated in Allen County.
AP Photo | David Zalubowski (File photo)
LIMA — Allen County Public Health is now administering COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers and pre-school age children, the final age group to become eligible for the vaccines.
Vaccinations started last week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration gave their approval for the use of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for children as young as six months old.
The CDC has also authorized a second vaccine option for parents of children ages 6-17, who are now eligible for the Moderna vaccine.
The health department is hosting pediatric vaccine clinics on Wednesdays and Thursdays at its East Market Street office, during which COVID-19 vaccines and routine immunizations for children who have fallen behind on their vaccine schedule due to the pandemic will be available.
Some pediatrician offices and pharmacies are also expected to start offering COVID-19 vaccines to young children, although availability varies by practice.
Meanwhile, pharmacies are only able to vaccinate children who are at least 3 years old, so parents of the youngest children will need to see a pediatrician or health department.
But vaccinating the youngest children could take years. Just shy of 10% of Allen County children ages 5-11 have started their COVID-19 vaccines, while nearly 25% of teens have done the same.
“We know that with individuals who themselves are hesitant to get the COVID vaccines are going to be even more hesitant to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Brandon Fischer, Allen County Health commissioner.
The perception that the virus only afflicts older adults has likely contributed to that hesitancy, Fischer said.
But the disease is a leading cause of hospitalization and death in children, particularly those who have not been vaccinated, he said.
“Fortunately, the numbers (of children hospitalized for COVID-19) are low,” Fischer said. “But any child that has to go to a hospital or unfortunately passes away from the virus is a major impact on the health and wellbeing of a community and the health and wellbeing of the family.”
